Kevin Waldron

Baseball
4-4-11

Lou Yacinich

Baseball is back! The men are looking to repeat a Midwest Collegiate

Conference (MCC) championship, and win the conference tournament to make it to

nationals.

The Vikings are 13-11 for the season and 5-4 in MCC play. The Athletes

season began in Oklahoma back in February, they continued on to Kansas City and

all the way to Daytona, Florida to play ball. Now the season is in full swing with

home conference games.

Lou Yacinich, head coach said, “We try to play outstanding competition every

year, that’s why we play in the Metodome and other places, there is great

competition down there (referring to Florida) to get us ready for our conference

play.”
 The season started off back in the fall with weights and the guys began

practice in January. As of now the team has about 25 games left and end their season

the first couple days in may.

According Brady Wathen, right fielder junior, said the team has struggled a

bit this season with confidence in hitting despite only losing two players from last

year.

Yacinich said, “We have ran through a time where certain individuals were

not hitting as well, we have had outstanding pitching and defense throughout the

whole season so far.”

But now the team looks to be back on track scoring 37 runs in just two games

and have won their last three games.

“In order to get to the top you need to win ballgames, that’s what is

happening right now we’re getting into the heart of the conference, and so many of

the other teams have done a great job of recruiting and our league is outstanding

this year,” Yacinich said.

Wathen believes that the team is successful because of its unique comradery.

“I have been playing together with these guys since freshmen year,” Wathen

said. “Its amazing we don’t just come game time to hang out but everybody is really

good friends, its makes playing more enjoyable and makes us more successful.”

The pitching team has had a very successful year with no hitters and a strong

line up according to Peterson.

 “I think we defiantly have what it takes to win MCC conference, but we need

to make the top 5 in the conference in order to get into the tournament,” Peterson

said.

Yacinich said that a few leaders have stepped up to the plate, Jared Meggison,

pitcher sophmore, through a no hitter a few weeks ago; Austin Denny has been

really strong defensively. Offensively, Wathen was second in the nation last week

and was also the player of the week.

“All these young men have matured and a lot of them are now juniors that

were sophomores last year, so the maturity level and understanding of the game has

improved,” Yacinich said. “I think that’s what will make us successful down the

road.”